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Embryo scientist quits team over ethics

The blastocyst, five days after nuclear transfer took place, in this May 2005 file photo. This is U.K.'s first cloned human embryo. — PHOTO: AP

New York: A leading American researcher in embryology has ended a 20-month partnership with his South Korean counterparts, claiming they flouted ethical rules and then lied about their practices.

Gerald Schatten, of the University of Pittsburgh, said he would no longer work with the cloning pioneer Hwang Woo-Suk, following allegations that eggs were taken from a junior scientist in violation of rules meant to prevent coercion.

Professor Hwang gained worldwide attention after announcing last year that his team at Seoul National University had cloned the world's first human embryos and extracted stem cells from them. In May, he announced he had created the world's first embryonic stem cells that genetically matched injured or sick patients — a huge step in the quest to grow patients' own replacement tissue for treating diseases.

But last year, rumours began to circulate that the eggs Prof Hwang used in his experiments had been obtained from a junior scientist in his laboratory. Given the health risks involved for women donating eggs, there are strict ethical guidelines as to how eggs should be collected.

One of the rules says that senior staff should not collect eggs from junior staff so as to avoid even the perception that the donations were in any way the outcome of coercion.

Dr Schatten said Prof Hwang had repeatedly denied the rumours and he had believed that position until late last week. ``I now have information that leads me to believe he had misled me. My trust has been shaken. I am sick at heart. I am not going to be able to collaborate with Woo-Suk.''

— © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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